The Blessed
by Cecilia Knightly
Summary: love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle." What if that obstacle is a legend that was never in the books, a legend close to forgotten. Winifred discovers just how much was missed behind closed doors. AU eomer/oc marysue-ish
1. An Old Flame

Warning: AU. Yes this is Marysue-ish BUT not tenth walker, well not really.

Summary: "love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle." What if that obstacle is a legend that was never in the books, a legend close to forgotten. Winifred discovers just how much was missed behind closed doors.

A/N: Hello. This is my first fanfic and I wanted to test the waters of sorts. I'm currently still writing this story but i edited, revised, and thickened this chapter as much as I could and thought I'd put it up and see what happened. Reviews would be preferable, and please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. The world of middle earth and everything in it is the wonderful creation of J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Blessed

Chapter 1 an old flame

She had been hiking all morning and afternoon, now it was only hours before sundown; she expected to reach her normal camping site before the sunset. She'd been hiking this trail for so long she had the timing almost down to an art form because right before the sun started to set she walked under a canopy of trees and it opened up to a clearing.

The clearing was a perfect circle, and during the spring it would be full of wild flowers, but now in late summer, only housed long grass. In the center there was a fire pit made of stone and a log off to one side.

She had helped to make and maintain this clearing and in reward she was the only one allowed to use it. In her opinion it was the perfect spot. Near by the side of the mountain with a beautiful view. If you take a small path through thin trees there was a waterfall and at the bottom a pool of water that eventually made its way to the stream that connected to it.

She took a deep breath and smiled. This clearing was a welcoming view after a daylong hike. She took off her 70lbs backpack and started to unpack her north face mountain 25. Her favorite tent her family owned.

She had just finished making her tent and throwing her things in when she heard a voice speak up from across the clearing.

"I was wondering how long it'd take you to get out here, once you came back home." She knew that voice and smiled to the owner of the deep baritone voice that was the epitome of masculinity.

"And I was wonder how long before one of you rangers came and _tried_ to ask for a camping fee, Denny." She looked at the mountain ranger her friend, and long ago her lover. Denny was four years older and wiser beyond his years, tall, and bulky with muscle. He had a scruffy look to him but it only added to the overall appeal to him. With his brown hair and brown eyes that shined with humor. Not to mention that half smile he often showed.

"Well having a father that owns half the mountain does help." he said walking forward the half smile making its appearance. Yes that was a well known fact among the rangers and mostly the reason why she had been permit her own clearing just for her use only, and why she never needed to pay any fees. Though she tried desperately to prove herself worthy of such a gift.

Finally when he came to stand in front of the young woman, he smiled in pure pleasure and said "welcome home Winnie." Conveying more meaning with how the words were spoken then what he actually said.

She smiled back and stepped forward into his embrace. She breathed him in, letting his natural aroma fill her need of him. Her head resting on his shoulder, with her face buried in the crook of his neck. She whispered back "Denny."

Winifred was a recent college graduate and had just come back from her tour of Europe, her parent's graduation present. She was considered tall for a woman, with long dark brown hair that was pulled into a single braid down her back and a pair of hazel eyes. She had the natural beauty people strive for. A delicate jaw line with a small chin, small but plump lips, with a straight nose the turned slightly up. Her eyebrows were fuller then most but had the classic look to them and checks that always seemed to have a slight blush. But even then her best asset was her smile, she could stop any man on the street with just a smile.

Her smile is how her and Denny met. It was the late spring after her freshmen year of college, and she had come up to the mountain to celebrate the ending of her first year. Denny had been the ranger to come to her camp to check her in. She had just lit her fire and turned to add sticks when she saw him and smiled, their world wind relationship had started shortly thereafter. They seemed to have an explosive relationship, passion and heat from the first meeting and even now it sometimes bubbled beneath the surface.

They had dated for a year and a half but like all flames they eventually burnt out. They still had some stolen moments together but they were few and far between. He always visited her when she was camping and she'd called him every now and then to catch up but anything more was a little too hard for them, both physically and emotionally. For her he was her first, and first love. And for him he never felt more comfortable and at ease then in her arms.

Winifred stepped back to have a good look at him. "You look good Denny." She said.

"Your not too bad your self Winnie" he always preferred using her nickname, and secretly she liked it when he said it.

"How's the mountain treating you?" she asked, this was a long time joke between them.

"You know how she is during this time, scaring away all the campers she can with wildlife and storms." His eyes gleamed with humor.

"Its really good to see you again Denny. It's been too long." Winifred had really missed Denny recently. She had been job hunting and dealing with moving back into home till she found a job. Even though her parent offered to buy her an apartment, she didn't always want _daddy_ to be paying her bills. She'd been living that way all her life, she needed to learn to fly on her own, the reason why she always camped alone. But she knew her father paid the rangers extra to keep an eye out for her whenever she had time to visit the mountain.

"Yea it has been." he stared into her eyes, longing very clearly written on them.

Denny had stayed and helped her set up camp, getting sticks and tree branches for the fire, collecting water from the near by stream. Making a simple meal of canned tuna and crackers, and a granola bar for each and catching up with each other's lives. After dinner they lay on the ground and looked up at the stars. Her small speakers for her Ipod played softly in the back round. Each lost in thought.

"I've been think of taking a job offer in Seattle, they've offered me some very nice benefits and would pay me more." Denny said suddenly. Not looking at Winifred or her reaction. Winifred's head snapped over to look at Denny not sure how to take this new information.

"That's across the country Denny." She stopped. It wasn't fair to hold him back if that's what he really wanted. Things were done between them she had to stop acting like she owned him in some way. She needed to let him go. "Well …if its what you want… who am I to try and stop you." Winifred's voice was practically dripping in hopelessness and despair.

"I think you're the only person that could." he smiled over at her, the truthfulness of his words ringing as clear as a bell.

"Well don't think I'm gonna make the decision for you." Winifred crossed her arms and looked him in the eyes. "You're a big boy now." Her face was serious but through the eyes only a weak humor was showing.

Denny smiled and reached over from his spot on the grass and took Winifred's left hand into his. It was warm and slightly tough from all the work Denny did with his hands, and Winifred's was completely lost in his hold. He brought her palm to his lips and kissed the small heart tattoo near her wrist, Winifred smiled.

"I still want you Winnie, I still want us, I know it probably won't ever happen but I still want to marry you," he said. They had had similar conversations before on this topic.

"I know." Winifred said simply. Her eyes were full of pain, she had to look away it hurt her every time this happen. It hurt them. They seemed to collide with each other a lot. She didn't know how much longer before they were both broken beyond repair.

"I know the miscarriage…" she interrupted him.

"Shhhhhhh please, please don't." she breathing hitched and she rested a hand on her very flat abdomen. "I know it's been years but please… I still." She couldn't finish. She took a second to collect her self and added. "We were never going to last long anyways." She smiled slightly as she looked over at him. "We were too intense, fighting then making up, then fighting again. It took a lot out of us. I think its better that everything… happen."

She had been four months pregnant when she got into a car accident. She hadn't told anyone about the baby yet; she was ashamed she had gotten her self in a position like that. She had been driving when she felt a twinge of pain in her abdomen, and it only grew worse, she felt a hot liquid between her legs. When she put her hand down to find the cause, her hand came back bloody. After that she passed out from the pain and lost control of the car. Her parents found out, and then everyone heard one way or another. Pity is what she got from her parents and everyone else, and she didn't want their pity. She told Denny because as the father he had a right to know. They cried together when she told him. But after that it was never the same. They broke up shortly afterwards. She felt like she lost a small part of herself with the miscarriage. Part of this reasoning was because it wasn't only a part of her but a part of Denny too.

"Your right, of course." He took his eyes off her and looked back up at the stars. " But you're still the only star that lights my night sky." He had.

"I still love you too Denny." He had trouble saying that phrase but he found ways to express himself just the same. "But I think its time for the sun to rise." There was a moment of silence between them.

"So I guess I'm off to Seattle then." Such a simple statement, it carried a lot of weight. Winifred almost missed him casually wiping away an escape tear. No doubt the only one he would allow to fall.

"I guess your going to Seattle." She repeated. She would miss him dearly. A piece of her heart would always belong to Denny. She'd had a lot of first with him, and him with her. However maybe this is what they needed… space, distance, … freedom.

She was tempted to ask him to stay with her but in the end said her bitter sweet goodbyes and was pleasantly surprise when he gave her a soft kiss on the lips and adds "for old time sake." Smiling he left the clearing.

When he got to the edge of the trees he turned around and said, "be careful tonight, there's a mountain lion causing trouble further up the trail. Keep that gun and knife of yours close tonight." With that he left the clearing her eyes followed him until he was lost among the trees.

Eventually she fell asleep with one headphone in, listening to her Ipod, while her other ear listened to the sounds of the wilderness. Her shotgun lay next to her and the knife underneath her pillow. She never camped without them.

Winifred had been planning to take two days to enjoy the pool, soak up the sun, and explore the area around the clearing but with the warning from last night still fresh in her head she just decided to pack up the next morning and go back home. She kept her knife attached to her belt on the hike back down the mountain this time and her gun in a sling on the side of her pack, easily accessible. Having one wasn't regulation per say but the rangers let her get away with this considering who her father was, and as long as she didn't run around scaring the other campers with it.

Around noon she took a break next to a meandering stream. She replenished her water supplies, and rested on a rock near by. After a few minutes she got back up and continued down the trail. This time there was a pair of eyes following her.

Soon after her break she notice the silence around her. No birds or any little furry thing running across the trail. It was complete and utter silence. Winifred became unnerved and had a tingle travel through her spine. Then she felt it, she could feel the eyes following her, watching her.

She was hard pressed to turn around and look behind her. When she did she didn't see anything but by now her instincts started to kick in. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and warning bells went off in her head. Slowly she took out her gun, clicked off the safety and started to back into the forest, off the trail. There was still nothing but she felt it, felt the eyes of something on her.

She turned around and started to walk purposely through the forest, clutching at her gun looking around her for any signs of a predator. She didn't get far before she noticed the mountain lion Denny had warned her about 150 yards to her right. It was slowly stalking her. Her adrenaline was pumping and her blood was flowing. She could feel her heart beat in her fingertips. He was too far for her to get a shot in, but she wasn't about to sit here and wait for him to come closer. By now she had two choices to fight or flight. She'd like to think she choose to flight and then fight when in range but she didn't really care how you looked at it either way she was NOT going to be someone's meal.

Winifred bolted to the left. From her peripherals she saw that he had given chase. She ran as hard as one could with a 70lbs pack on. The trees were flying by, her hair was falling out of its braid and Winifred had noticed how everything else was forgotten and she could only hear her heartbeat in her ears, or was it the sound of the lions paws hitting the ground in a rhythmic pattern. This thought urged her on. During this she didn't noticed the trees thinning out or the warning sign posted on a near by tree. WARNING: unstable ground, do not enter.

She had run into a big clearing. It looked like rock but she failed to notice how fragile it looked. She began to sprit across it, small cracking noise following her, Winifred barely observed this. When she was almost half way across she stopped desperately turned and dropped to a knee while pointing her gun at the lion. It was 30 yards away. She loaded, aimed, hoped for a true shot, and squeezed the trigger. It happened in slow motion. As she looked at the lion taking aim with her gun, it gave a loud roar that sent chills to her bones. The lion was a beautiful but terrifying sight, with its clear eyes looking dead on, and strong legs pushing it ever closer and closer to her. She took notice of the space between herself and the lion and saw cracks between them breaking the rock and how with each pounce of the lion's strong legs they only deepened and reached further. Winifred pulled the trigger.

It clipped the lion on its shoulder but it was enough to bring it down. With its momentum it hit the ground, rolled then slowly slide to a stop. And with the downfall of the lion there were painfully loud cracks when the lion hit the ground and when it rolled. But unlike the lion it didn't stop. It seemed to be on a crash course towards Winifred. She only had time to stand and take one step away when the rock finally gave in to the added weight and collapsed.

Winifred didn't even have time to process this entirely, yet alone scream before she dropped and was engulfed in darkness. Weather it be from the lack of light or passing out, it had the same effect on Winifred. Her whole world went black.


	2. Finding Answers is Forgetting

A/N: Hey everyone. this is the next installment of the blessed. Sorry it took so long, midterms are annoying. Just as a side note I'm not known for my grammar or spelling expertise, so take that as you may. Again this is Marysue-ish (meaning a random girl drops from seemingly no where into the land of middle earth, at least thats the definition I'm running with.) Also the character of Denny I model after the Denny of Grey's Anatomy. He gave off a eathy feel to him which is what i was looking for in that character. Its also part of the reason I'm sending him of to Seattle. So that is what he's suppose to look like. As for the main Character Winifred, I can't really think of someone to compare her too but if i do I'll let you know. Please leave a comment if you wish and enjoy!

**Disclamer: **I own Nothing!

Chapter 2 Finding answers is forgetting

When Winifred finally came too she could have cried out in pain, but she was having trouble identifying what was reality and what was fantasy. Her body felt like Jell-O. She was sore, and tender on her chest and ribs. It made breathing difficult and her breaths were coming in painful gasps.

Slowly Winifred sorted out what had happened. The key points being her camping and leaving because of a mountain lion problem. But on her way down the mountain she ran into the problem. There was running and she shot the lion down but the rock gave in. yes it all came back. The collapse, she knew enough about geology to know that she must have been stand on top of a cave that gave in under the pressure and tension of her face off with the mountain lion.

Winifred couldn't concentrate enough to open her eyes so settled for using her other senses. She breathed in. The air was cool and stale. The air tasted slightly bitter resting on her tongue. She felt like she was on a ship, a patterned rocking motion. She could feel strong, thick arms around her, carrying her. Denny, she thought. She turned her head towards the warm chest of the arms. She breathed in again. She could smell the musk of men, and a woodsy natural scent clinging to this chest, along with the smell of leather and horses. Yes this was Denny. Although the leather and horses was stronger then normal but she forgot that train of thought at once. The murmuring of whispered conversation was slowly breaking up and becoming clearer.

Winifred was disoriented and when she opened her eyes all was blurry. She could see red and orange nearby… a fire maybe, or some sort of light, all else was dark. She closed her eyes again. Yes, she was moving, she was being carried. Finally she opened her eyes again looking up to the face of her mountain ranger. She turned her head and looked for the face.

She couldn't make out the face yet all was still blurry and dark. Winifred tried her voice. "Denny." The head moved, looked at her, the rocking motion halted.

"She's awake" the voice was a deep, rough baritone, but it wasn't Denny's. Winifred remember her pain again and whimpered as it fully hit her. She squeezed her eyes as she concentrated on the pain covering her entire body.

"Breath, just breath." The voice said. Still holding her. Her teeth clenched. The pain was everywhere, she wanted Denny there to help calm her and carry her to the ambulance. Hold her hand while she was poked and prodded.

"Where's Denny." Winifred grasped out. Opening her water filled eyes to look at the voice. Her eyesight was clearing up and she noticed long blond hair, with a neat, trimmed beard covering all of a jaw, and unlike Denny he had blue and sympathy in his eyes.

"Denny, where's Denny, he's a mountain ranger…" she wanted to say more but her jaw clenched. The pain was too much. She could barely restrain herself from screaming out.

"I know of no Denny, and there was no one else where we found you." he said. Pity was clearly dancing across his eyes and sadness was flooding from his voice. The voice started to move again and the rocking motion continued again.

"What… what's happening?" Winifred was losing a fight with consciousness again. Confusing was taking place of all other thoughts.

"You are injured. We are taking you to a healer." The man said. He was walking in his full stride again. Winifred could hear the footsteps of people behind him… the rescue party it would seem.

Winifred's eyes were closing. Her vision started to tunnel out. With her last conscience breath she spoke a soft "thank you" and passed out from the shock and pain of everything that was happening.

When Winifred woke it was from sunlight warming her face in greeting, welcoming her to a start to a new day. At first she thought she was home in her bed but the recent events finally came back to her mind, along with her sore tender muscles. When she tried to sit up her chest and ribs protest, and as a result only able to slightly elevate her self. She noticed her left wrist was bandage, and felt a cut had been stitched on her forehead, near the hairline. She took another deep breath done trying to move and done checking herself over, so she observed her surroundings.

She found herself in a small, simple room. The bed was very simple. In fact Winifred suspected it might not even have springs in it. There was a window to her left just pass the foot of the bed. It was open and letting in a gentle breeze that seemed to almost caress her. Across from the bed was a dresser. On top of the dresser was her pack and gun. The cloths she had been wearing were folded on top and her boots next to the dresser on the floor. Winifred seemed to be wearing a nightgown. It was very uncomfortable. Next to her bed was a nightstand. On top of the nightstand was a vase with wild flowers of purple, light pink and yellow. They had a pleasant smell coming off of them. But next to her bed was a single chair. The chair wasn't empty.

"Good Morning Winifred. I've been expecting you." The man said sitting on the chair. He was dressed in all grey, a grey cloak, grey hat that was currently resting on his knee. He even had a long grey bread and hair. He reminded her of her grandfather, similar color of grey hair, and same twinkle in both their blue-grey eyes. Both of their faces were creased with many wrinkles, the most on their foreheads from thinking too much. She only dimly remembered her grandfather but they had the same effect on her. She felt safe.

"What happen?" Winifred asked the stranger.

"You were found in a cave collapse deep within the glittering caves of the Hornburg in Helm's deep." The stranger proclaimed, his smooth, old voice invoking no hint of a joke.

"Wha-who are you?" she said deciding that perhaps he was confused. He gave her a slight smile at her obvious confusion.

"I am Gandalf, the grey. But you already know that, at least deep down. And I know your Winifred Farrell. I have already told you where you are, weather you believe me or not. So that leaves us with the why. Why are you here? Question." Gandalf said folding his arms across his chest looking very intently at Winifred.

" How is that…that's not possible." Winifred said shaking her head, clearly refusing the idea that anything he was claiming was real, and letting slip a strained laugh in her bewilderment. Helm's deep, glittering caves, Gandalf the grey, this was all from the 'lord of the rings' stories. FICTION! Winifred exclaimed in her head.

"And why, might I ask, is that? I am sitting before you, am I not? What reason have I to lie to a person I have never meet?" he asked rising an eyebrow in challenge to Winifred, as she tried to sit further up in her bed to defend herself against these absurd stories, and putting aside the question of how he knew her name, and how he knew she'd end up here.

"A joke perhaps, because you have nothing better to do with your time. Or maybe you've some how escaped the CRAZY house!" Winifred said her voice rising, she was now waving her hands about as she talked, clearly getting very passionate about this subject matter.

"Well…" Gandalf paused. "You would have to make your own mind up about the condition of my own but I assure you, I would not lie about this." He said. A small smile appeared when he was addressing her 'crazy' accusations. Winfred deflated slightly when he didn't drop this ridiculous act. She was already starting to become drained, clearly she wasn't healed enough to be getting into an argument with demented elderly people.

So finally after a minute or too of her sitting on the bed with her uninjured hand over her eyes, her head was starting to hurt, finally she gave in.

"Then why, oh Gandalf, the great, am I here." She said looking at him disbelievingly.

"Simply because you were meant too." Gandalf said humor in his mischief's eyes. Winifred was about to comment back with a smart remark when the door opened.

A middle-aged woman came in carrying a tray with what looked like tea and some bread and cheese. She was wearing a simple green dress and a white apron on top. Her matured blond hair pulled back and tucked into a braided bun. She looked up from the tray and saw Winifred awake, but then saw Gandalf sitting in the chair.

"Gandalf!" the woman said clearly thinking this a scandal. "I told you not to bother the lady yet. She needs time to heal before you start with your riddles." She was now walking into the room and sat the tray on Winifred nightstand. "The healer said to give her a couple of days to regain her strength." Now standing in front of Gandalf with her hands on her hips, frowning down at Gandalf. Gandalf was smiling non-the less, amused with this woman.

"I was just about to leave, lady Eadgyth." He said stand, and putting his hat back on. "Just welcoming her." He winked at Winifred when Eadgyth wasn't looking. Winifred wasn't sure of the meaning. "I shall be back to visit you tomorrow, lady Winifred. Rest for now, you'll need your strength back as soon as possible." With that Gandalf left, retrieving a staff that had been resting next to the door that had slipped Winifred's notice.

The woman had been watching Gandalf leave and didn't turn back to Winifred until he had closed the door behind himself. She smiled down at Winifred. She had a kind homely face.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you awake, lady Winifred." She said walking closer to Winifred's bed. She picked up the tea and handed it to Winifred. Winifred mutely took the drink from her hands not sure how to respond to this woman.

"It will help with the pain and make it easier to sleep." She said looking at Winifred. Winifred looked at the tea and then back at the woman and then back at the tea, decided weather or not to drink it. She saw the woman nodding her head in encouragement. So Winifred took a slip.

"There." Eadgyth said smiling down at Winifred. "I have also brought you some bread and cheese to eat if you feel up to it." She indicated to the tray, where the food sat. She turned to leave but Winifred brought the teacup from her lips to call out to her.

"Wait!" Eadgyth turned.

"Who are you?" Winifred asked. The woman smiled.

"I am sorry." She laughed softly. "I have been looking after you all this time and forgot you don't know me. I am Eadgyth." She smiled at Winifred.

"How long have I been here?" Winifred asked, frowning at herself for not asking about this until know.

"You were found two nights ago, my lady." She said. Winifred nodded and thanked Eadgyth, Eadgyth left, but not before reminding her to finish the tea.

Slowly Winifred drained the teacup, while thinking over everything that had happened since her waking. She didn't know weather or not to believe 'Gandalf'. Maybe she was dreaming and would walk up in the hospital, Winifred thought to herself as she settled down into the bed, to be drifted off into a dreamless sleep again.

When Winifred woke up she off handedly noticed the tray from early missing from her nightstand. She also saw there was a different someone sitting in the chair. She recognized the man that rescued her, his long blond hair, his beard, and the eyes. When he realized she was awake he asked how she was doing. Sitting up as much as possible she answered the question.

"I'm very sore, I believe I'm covered in bruises." She smiled slightly at him.

"Yes you looked like you had been through a great deal when we found you." the man, her rescuer said. This peaked her interest.

"How did you find me? Earlier I was told where I was. I'm just a little confused as to how I got here." Winifred said, seeing if this man was telling the same story as Gandalf. A test.

"We found you deep inside the glittering caves of the Hornburg in Helm's Deep, where you are now. It seemed that there was a collapse where you were and you were lucky not to have been buried under rock." He was looking straight at Winifred, his eyes not warm or cold; a steely neutral look today, Winifred noted. Better then sympathy she thought.

"Thanks, for finding me. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had woken up alone." She said in a monotone looking away towards the window. He nodded his head, but didn't say anything. She was busy however processing what he said, and took a moment to shallow the big pill of realization. Gandalf had told her the same story, and he didn't sound like he was joking or lying. When the woman, Eadgyth, Winifred reminder herself, came in she was honestly surprised to see Gandalf. She hadn't expected him to be there and had called Gandalf just that…Gandalf. Which also backed up his story, at least his name. Then this man, the one who found her and saved her, the first person she opened her eyes too, had the same story. He too, was speaking the truth, Winifred concluded.

"So…" Winifred said. "Where is Helm's Deep?" The last line of defense in Winifred's mind, the last Test. Then Winifred would admit defeat to Gandalf and jump off the nearest cliff, Winifred could handle many different situations with grace but losing her own mind was something she didn't plan to live with for long.

"Helm's Deep is in Rohan. The country of horse lords." His face was still pretty emotionless, although his eyebrows looked closer together then before, maybe confusion at the question asked. And there it was. Winifred's brain shut down, information overload it would seem. Thousands of questions were popped in and out of her mind. How seemed to be an occurring theme.

"Excuse me. Where are my manners? I've yet to get your name…horse-master." Winifred's voice went up an octave or two. Her thoughts now were somewhere along the line panic.

Her rescuer bowed his head slightly and said, "I am Eomer, son of Eomund, third marshal of the Riddermark." Eomer looked like he was going to add something else but Winifred cut him off.

"Please, my lord, would you mind telling me the date. I wish to know how long I have been away from home." She added a smile but it quite didn't reach her eyes, and Eomer could tell it was forced.

"Of course." Eomer said slightly bowing his head again. " We do not keep the date of each day here in the mark, but it is late summer of the year 3016. I hope this helps my lady" he had a hopeful look in his eyes, but Winifred didn't see it. She was just discovering she was in her own personal hell. Stuck in a story where all hell was about to break loose in a matter of years. Yes Winifred had read the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Forced seems like a better term though. Her good friend at the time had pushed her to do it, Winifred had given in and read the books, but she was able to avoid seeing the movies. She had better things to do with her free time. For example go for a hike on the mountain or work on resume packing for college. Winifred was very serious with both alternatives when the movies had been commercialized.

"Gandalf" Eomer says. Winifred had been in a daze but looked up to see Gandalf walk through her door, resting his staff near the door and putting his grey hat on top to rest. He smiled at Winifred.

"You have kept me waiting young one." Gandalf says to Winifred. Winifred felt like she was about to collapses. Her eyes were starting to water up and confusing and vulnerability was evident on her face.

"What has happened to me Gandalf? Why has it happen to me" She said in a pained voice. Eomer turned to look at her in surprise at her voice and even more so at the tears waiting to spill over.

"Why don't you find some food for the young lady while I talk with her. Have someone bring it in?" Gandalf suggestion was not really a question so Eomer stood up, nodding at Gandalf and casting a last look at Winifred. He seemed to look reluctant to leave but slowly left and closed the door behind himself.

Gandalf came over and sat in the vacant chair. He looked at Winifred and waited. Like a dam breaking Winifred started asking all the questions that had been plaguing her, while trying to keep her misery to herself, by trying to stop the tears from pouring out.

"How did you know I'd come? How did I get here? Do you know what's going to happen? What's going to happen to me? Can you send me home?" with each question Winifred got more desperate for the answer. By the end she was nearly chocking with the effort to hold her tears back. But a few slip over. She remembered the books. She had a good memory, and if Eomer was right she was two and a half years before the ring was destroyed. That thought brought even more questions like why now but that question could be asked later.

Gandalf just sat there a moment. Her frantic expression causing him more distress then he let on.

"There are questions that do not have answers. I do not believe myself wise enough to answer every question and I will not pretend to know the answers. Some of the questions do not have any logical response and can only be guessed at." His face was somber, looking her full in the face. Winifred couldn't look away from him. If anyone on this 'middle earth' could help Winifred, Gandalf was part of the few that could, the rest were Elves and more likely harder to get too. Gandalf continued.

"Long ago, here in Rohan there was a legend or myth that came about. There is no record of who predicted this, and it has long been forgot but there is an old legend that few still remember. It is about a future queen that would have a name that was blessed and she would reign with her love, the blessed king. The king, to this marked queen, would be his peoples beacon of light during dark times, though he would not wear the crown yet. This king would be his people's future and bring peace to the land. The legend ends with how to identify this future queen, 'by the black mark forever imprinted on her palm.'" Gandalf looked at her hands. "Turn over your palms?" he asked gently.

Winifred already knew what was about to happen the 'black mark forever imprinted on her palm' was her tattoo. It was a little empty black heart on her left palm, on the bottom, to the right near her wrist. She had it done after the miscarriage showing the little heart that would evermore be apart of her. Denny got something like that. It was the date. He got it tattooed on his chest. They had gone together. Denny kissed it every chance he got, his way of showing his feelings. With a heavy heart Winifred turned over her palm. Her left wrist was wrapped in bandage, so Winifred gave Gandalf her right wrist. Gandalf wasn't fooled by her ploy.

"Your other wrist my dear." He said extending his hand for Winifred to place hers in. Reluctantly she did. Gandalf unwrapped the bandage. He looked at the tattoo like her fate had been sealed.

"For decades after this myth was started, during times of war, people would look for a woman with a mark on her hand, hoping that if she was found whoever she loved would be the answer to there prayers and the next king of Rohan weather he was the next in line or not. They never found this woman and slowly this myth was all but forgotten." Gandalf stated, re-wrapping the bandage then taking out a pipe from the depths of his cloak.

"You don't mind do you?" Gandalf indicated his pipe, a small smile on his lips. Winifred shook her head absent-mindedly. He murmured something, the pipe weed was ignited, and he started to smoke deep in thought. Winifred was slowly taking in all this information, but also took it with a gain of salt.

Winifred was going over this myth, this legend. She was picking out key words like 'future Queen' and 'reign with her love' and 'future queen,' that seemed to be the favorite word playing over and over in Winifred's mind. She had no doubt who this king of hers was to be, Eomer. He was already destined to be the king, though no one knew of this just yet. If this myth was talking about her, she would never see home again. All of the questions that she had asked had been answer one way or another by this myth or legend. Maybe not how he knew she was here but even she knew that Gandalf had a talent for arriving precisely when he needs too. All of the question but one were answered. How she came to be here. Timidly she broke the silence that had enveloped them.

"How did I come to be here?" Winifred's voice was soft and she spoke looking at her hands resting in her lap.

"That is something no one in all of middle earth will ever truly know. It is clear that you were destined to be her, it is as clear as day that you are the future queen this myth mentions. There are other things I do know. I know you know of the events that are soon to take place, and I know we have a hand full of years before theses events take place." Winifred had looked up at one point and Gandalf had caught her eye. Gandalf was sincere and Winifred knew she could trust him. She nodded when he guessed about her knowledge of this world and when he guessed that they had a few years before all hell would break loose.

"Since time is on your side I think you should take this time to except that you may never, and most likely will never see home again." Winifred nodded but unable to stop the tears. They finally started falling, with Winifred giving a quiet sob every few minutes. Gandalf handed her a plain handkerchief. Winifred dapped it to her face and whipped her nose with it.

Gandalf continued. "Soon I ride to Edoras and you will travel with me. I plan for you to stay as a guest in the golden hall." Winifred looked up at that, Gandalf noticed her interest and looked in her eyes with determination "You know the events that are about to unfold, you know what the golden hall will become like and how all that live there, and in all of Rohan, will be effected. I do not wish for you to tell me or anyone else of the future but I wish for you to help where and when you can. People will be counting on you more then you may realize." Gandalf's expressions soften again and he added, "You will survive this Winifred Farrell, it is already written in the tombs of history." How did he know my name? Winifred thought, with the use of her full name. That was the second time. Gandalf winked at her and smiled with a twinkle in his eyes. He put out his pipe and put it back within the depths of his cloak.

Before Winifred got to question him there was a knock on the door and a servant opened the door carrying a tray of food, Winifred's stomach growled. Gandalf chuckled quietly.

"Enjoy your meal I will see you tomorrow, I have other business to attend to at this moment." Gandalf stood, smiled warmly at Winifred like her grandfather used to. As he was about to leave he turned and said, "Would your name, by chance, mean blessed?" The twinkle was gleaming in his eyes at this point, he already new the answer and left her to the meal the servant set on her lap. The servant left directly after Gandalf and Winifred was left to ponder over everything that had been gained and lost with Gandalf's visit alone. Yes her name did mean blessed, just like how in the myth the queen's name would be 'blessed.' Winifred couldn't believe it. The name of the queen was in the myth, though cleverly put. Yes her fate was sealed Winifred thought.

She had lost, in her opinion, her past and was gaining her future. She was barely a bite into her food before she lost her control. More tears welled up in her eyes and fell down her check. She still tried to eat her food but she couldn't taste the food any more. She finally gave up on her meal when sobs started to rock her body. She clapped her hand over her month hoping to quiet her sobs. The last thing Winifred wanted was for someone to come into the door asking if she was all right, she would only cry harder if they did.

Never being able to go home and see her family or Denny again was painful, but Gandalf was right she had time to deal with that and dwelling on it wouldn't do anything for her. Only cause her more grief.

Winifred looked at the pack across the room, it was full of her camping gear, extra set of clothes and bathing suit, tent, etc. In her mind she ran through her gear making a mental list of everything that would be very helpful if she was going to live during a time very far behind in technology. Like her lighter, though she had to use it sparingly. She had refilled the gasoline but it would run out eventually. The next big item was her water filter. It looked like a pump and would help her get clean water wherever she went. Her small binoculars would help also, her battery charger would help the batteries she packed last longer, like her flashlight, headlamps, and the small speakers for her Ipod batteries. While she was thinking all of this over she placed the tray of food on the nightstand and lay down in her bed. She went to sleep thinking of all the gear she was going to save for as long a possible, like her granola and power bars, trail mix and dried fruit.

Outside her door Eomer heard the crying through the door. He had seen Gandalf leave and planning to join this woman who had dropped into his life but he had heard her sobs as he raised his hand to knocked. The thought of her crying was like a knife cutting through him. He hated seeing woman cry, Eowyn, his sister, often got her way when tears started to well up in her blue eyes. Instead of going inside Eomer stood outside the door helpless, he didn't even know her name yet. So he waited for the sobs to quiet and hopefully stop. When Eomer finally thought it safe to enter she was fast asleep, the tray of food barely touched and a trail of dried up tears stained her checks. Her skin was red and puffy round her eyes but she still looked beautiful to Eomer.


End file.
